Both tactile and visual sensations make Queen's Gambit a favorite.	The appeal of miniatures in a boardgame format is a strong draw.

A few players complained this year that the Naboo don't have a fair chance during the play-off rounds due to the mandatory time limit of two hours, which reflects the situation in Star Wars the Phantom Menace. Many disagree, believing that the Naboo have the edge. This year's overall outcome was again close to 50-50. In the preliminaries Darth Maul won 23 to the Naboo's 20. There is no time limit in the prelims and this slants things towards the Naboo. Therefore, in the playoffs, when the time pressure is in effect the Naboo should fare worse. "If the trade federation is still standing after two hours, they win." Oh Well, the Naboo, won eight of the 15 playoff games including the Championship. So the final tally was Darth Maul 30, Naboo 28.

16 players advanced to the Single Elimination playoffs. One of those was a newcomer, William Sparks, who agreed to play during a heat, so an odd player could have an opponent for that heat.

The results for the round of 16 were as follows - eight games:

#1. Battle Droid Bill Morse won when consecutive battle droid shots killed Keith Corbino Kenobi in the Throne Room.

#2. William Sparks Quigon killed Devon Miller Maul and Obiwon killed all the droids in the palace. Anakin passed through the Federation Starfighters to give Sparks the win.

#3. Dave Platnick Maul won the admiration of all the children that Queen Larry Lingle has destroyed in Queen's Gambit. Platnick Maul wiped out Quigon and Obiwon and took only three hits himself. It was a slaughter after that as two-time champ Lingle goes down hard.

#4. Alex Bell Maul thrashed Queen Carolyn Strock.

#5. Destroyer Droid Dustin Gervais hammered Patrick Havert Panaka into oblivion.

#6. Rob Battle Droid Flowers defeated Jacob Quigon Hebner even though Quigon lived through the generator core battle with Maul. A weak Quigon left the generator core with two hits and was promptly killed by battle droids in the palace.

#7. Jar Jar Binks McCulloch (Sean) defeated Nute Gunray Sutton (Brian). Sean wiped out the Separatists on the battlefield leading to a well fought win.

#8. Anakin Cagwin defeated Geonosian Overseer Nick Page.

Quarterfinals:

#1. William Anakin Sparks Hosed Bill Morse Maul in 15 minutes. Anakin blew through San Hill Bill's Federation Starfighters with only eight cards.

#2. Alex Obiwon Bell sliced and diced Dave Dark Side Platnick into residue. Maul killed Quigon, but Obiwon killed Maul. Then Obiwon left the generator core and obliterated the droids in the palace.

#3. Rob Purple Flowers upset Darth Dustin Gervais. Dustin's Maul killed Quigon and Obiwon and left the generator core with five hits. Unbelievable - Maul killed by Palace Guards and the Purple Queen.

#4. Dwarf Spider Droid McCulloch squeezed by Jedi Padawan Cagwin. Sean's Darth Maul killed Quigon and Obiwon and left the generator core to raise havoc; however, Maul went down to one hit and skulked back into the generator core. Eventually the Dark Siders prevailed.

Semi-finals:

#1. William Window Ledge Sparks jumped over Rob Dead Droid Flowers. Sparks window ledge movement resulted in a throne room filled with Naboo. The droids offered little resistance and the Naboo won easily.

#2. Sean Super Battle Droid McCulloch thumped Alex Jedi Guardian Bell.. Sean's Darth Maul killed both Jedi. It was all bad news for the Naboo after that.

The Championship:

William Sparks vs Sean McCulloch. It was over almost before it started. Anakin Sparks shut down the droids with the play of only five cards. The game lasted eight minutes. Sean Maul McCulloch was demoted to Geonosian Drone status by Palpatine immediately thereafter.

Congratulations to William Sparks whose act of kindness snowballed into a championship.